Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-30
Tho virginia western Railroad
scheme.
NEWPORT, GILES COUNTY, VA,
March %, 1887.

reliance III signs We chhuot n'ou sn0
conclusion that the construction OF the
Virginia Western railroad is fastening
on. and that many months cannot elapse
till the hopes we have indulged for
many years will be fully realized. For
Southwest Virginia the making OF this
road "is consummation devoutly to
be Wished" and in this wish we know
that the people of Richmond will most
heartily join us. Several events OF re-
cent occurrence strongly indicate that
work on the road at an early day is Sc
riously contemplated by the company.
If what is known as the Cuper survey,
extending from James river to the
narrovs OF New river in Giles
county, should be adopted by
the company work could be COM
menccd in a very short time, al
lowing. however, the necessary period
for receiving bids for the work and
awarding contracts, and this period, 1t
would seem, need not be very long
one. There is factor in this railroad
scheme, or seems to be, that may greatly
hasten the making of the eastern end
of the road. Should this opiniun prove
to be a correct one your city may boom
BENEFICIARY or THE ROAD
much sooner than is now anticipated by
most persons interested i'll its construc-
ton. The great obstacle in locating
the road to be overcome just now is
the passage of Gap mountain ator near
the head waters of Craig's creek. The
passage viii be effected by a tunnel,
and that, perhaps, not very long one.
Chief-Encineer Whitcomb left our VIII
lagc this morning. He remained with
us long enough to determine the ques-
tion of getting through the mountain
and to Sinking creek, in this county.
His visit is significant, and may be
looked upon as foretokening some very
important steps in the enterprise that
will give still stronger assurance OF the
early making of the road.
il is evidently the intention OF the
company to push the work forward as
rapidly as it can be done and Of this
there are ample assurances. The gen
tlemen who are the controlling spirits
of the undertaking have had long expe-
ricncc in railroad matters, and justly
have tie credit of possessing great 81
gGcity. in every scheme in which they
have heretofore embarked they have
been eminently successful, and these
facts serve very materially to strengthen
the opinion in the public mind that the
construction Of this road is no longer
attended with many elements of doubt.
SO far as can be seen now there are
many reasons why the road should be
made but it would probably be pre-
sumption in me to attempt to give any
of these reasons TO well-informed
journal like the Dispatch. There can
be no more inviting field east of the
Mississippi for a new railroad enter
prise than the one that will be trayersed
by the Virginia Western and its con-
nections. We have in Southwest Vir-
ginia ten counties almost untouched 10y
railroads, these ten counties containing
an area Of probably
FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE MILES,
Territory enough. rich as it is known TO
be in minerals, timber, and agricultural
capacity, to furnish enough freight TO
make a railroad profitable. Indeed,
the tonnage that would be furnished by
these counties would be immense when
the stimulus that would be given to
development by the facilities afforded
by railroad for transportation should
begin to influence the opening of mines,
the cutting of lumber, and the wider
extension of agricultural pursuits The
projectors of this great undertaking
will not stop with the construction of
the road from James river to Memphis.
They will necessarily send out branches
from the main stem to many points now
remote from all railroad facilities, and
will make councillors with other lines
already in existence TIL the trade and
travel Of large part OF five States will
be drawn to this one through line, and
by it be carried to the great markets
East and West. I'll these branches
and connections must necessarily give
the Virginia Western and the Tcnnes-
see Midland an amount OF business
hardly equalled by any other road south
of the Ohio river. and with such busi-
ness the road must necessarily he pro-
fitable TO the stockholders. Ii seems
TO me that DO road has ever been pro-
jected this side OF the Mississippi that
promised larger percentage on the
money invested, and this fact, it would
seem. moneyed men could be very
readily brought 10 see. II long-0stab-
lished roads in the South are now pay
ing, and are sought after, ii cannot but be
that q new road in the same South.
running through a wholly unoccupied
territory burdened with undeyeloped
wealth, would prove to be an equal if
not q greater source of profit 10 per-
sons investing their capital in it, Sure
ly no scheme has ever been set on foot
in Virginia that
PROMISED TO DO so MUCH
for the State by bringing out the vast
treasures that have been lying for 80
many centuries hidden in the noun
tains and valleys OF Southwest Vir-
ginia, which, when fully developed,
will add immensely to the commercial
power she ought to exercise among tho
States; for Virginia, from her central
position On the Atlantic coast, her un-
equalled harbors, and her immeasura-
be natural resources, ought to occupy
a place of the highest commercial
Influenza place to which she will
eventually attain - and nothing can
now occupy her attention that
will contribute 80 much 10 that
end es the carrying to its fullest extent
the system Of railroads now mapped out
by the originators of the Virginia West
ern. This road by its main line will
extend through a section of Virginia at
least two hundred and fifty miles in
length, necessitating the expenditure OF
abont five million dollars for grading
and this, taken in connection with the
great increase of value OF property,
should induce every one of the counties
through which it viii pass TO make
liberal subscriptions TO it, and they will
find it q paying investment in the end.
As suggested il former letter,
RICHMOND
cannot Jake too active a part in making
this ro&l q certainty. for II will brinc, n